Active muscle assistance and resistance device and method

Abstract

A method for controlling movement using an active powered device including an actuator, joint position sensor, muscle stress sensor, and control system. The device provides primarily muscle support although it is capable of additionally providing joint support (hence the name “active muscle assistance device”). The device is designed for operation in several modes to provide either assistance or resistance to a muscle for the purpose of enhancing mobility, preventing injury, or building muscle strength. The device is designed to operate autonomously or coupled with other like device(s) to provide simultaneous assistance or resistance to multiple muscles.

1. A computerized system for controlling movement, comprising:
 a processing unit; 
 an actuator operative to exert force; and 
 a memory having stored thereon a set of instructions which when executed, causes the processing unit to perform a method, the method comprising:
 responsive to receiving a request to operate in a rehabilitation mode:
 providing assistance to aid muscle movement via the actuator responsive to detecting that muscle stress exceeds a predetermined threshold; and 
 providing resistance while the muscle is in motion to oppose the muscle movement via the actuator responsive to detecting that the muscle stress is below the predetermined threshold. 
 
 
 
   
   
     2. A computerized system for controlling movement, comprising:
 a processing unit; 
 an actuator operative to exert force; and 
 a memory having stored thereon a set of instructions, which when executed, causes the processing unit to perform a method, the method comprising:
 responsive to receiving a request indicating a selected mode of operation from a set of modes of operation comprising,
 an assistive mode; and 
 a resistive mode; 
 
 wherein, when in operation in the assistive mode, activating the actuator to provide an assistive force to muscle movement responsive to detecting that muscle stress exceeds a predetermined threshold; and 
 wherein, when in operation in the resistive mode, activating the actuator to provide a resistance force in opposition to the muscle movement while the muscle is in motion. 
 
 
   
   
     3. The computerized system as in  claim 2 , wherein the set of modes of operation further comprises: an idle mode; wherein, when in operation in the idle mode, performing one of:
 responsive to detecting that the actuator is activated, deactivating the actuator; and 
 responsive to detecting that the actuator is idle, maintaining the actuator idle. 
 
   
   
     4. A computerized system as in  claim 2 , wherein the set of modes of operation further comprises:
 a rehabilitation mode; wherein, when in operation in the rehabilitation mode:
 providing assistance to aid in muscle movement via the actuator responsive to detecting that muscle stress exceeds a predetermined threshold; and 
 upon detecting muscle movement, providing resistance while the muscle is in motion to oppose the muscle movement via the actuator responsive to detecting that the muscle stress is below the predetermined threshold. 
 
 
   
   
     5. The computerized system as in  claim 4 , further comprising, a muscle stress sensor to detect the muscle stress. 
   
   
     6. The computerized system as in  claim 2 , further comprising, a joint position sensor to detect joint movement. 
   
   
     7. The computerized system as in  claim 6 , wherein the joint position sensor comprises one or more of a potentiometer and optical sensor. 
   
   
     8. The computerized system as in  claim 5 , wherein the muscle stress sensor comprises a capacitance sensor coupled to a computing device. 
   
   
     9. The computerized system as in  claim 6 , further comprising, a data acquisition module coupled to one or more of the joint position sensor and the muscle stress sensor, when, in operation, processes data received from the one or more of the joint position sensor and the muscle stress sensor. 
   
   
     10. The computerized system as in  claim 2 , further comprising, a supervisor module, when, in operation, tracks one or more of, the mode of operation, a joint angle of the joint, and movement direction of the joint movement. 
   
   
     11. The computerized system as in  claim 2 , further comprising, an actuator control module operable to control the actuator. 
   
   
     12. A computerized system as in  claim 2 , further comprising, a monitor module. 
   
   
     13. A method, comprising:
 receiving, by an actuator-powered device attached to a part of a user's body, a user selected mode of operation; 
 measuring muscle stress of the part of the user's body by the device; 
 comparing the measured muscle stress of the user with a maximum threshold value, wherein the maximum threshold value is determined by the user selected mode of operation and configurable by the user; 
 upon a determination that the measured muscle stress exceeds the maximum threshold value, providing assistive force to aid movement of the part of the user's body by the device to reduce the muscle stress; 
 comparing the measured muscle stress of the user with a minimum threshold value, wherein the minimum threshold value is determined by the user selected mode of operation and configurable by the user; and 
 upon a determination that the measured muscle stress is below a minimum threshold value, providing a resistive force in opposition to the motion of the part of the user's body to increase the muscle stress. 
 
   
   
     14. The method as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the user selected mode is an assistive mode allowing the device to provide the assistive force. 
   
   
     15. The method as recited in  claim 13 , further comprising:
 utilizing the assistive force in assisting the user's mobility. 
 
   
   
     16. The method as recited in  claim 15 , further comprising:
 utilizing the assistive force to assist the user in sitting, walking, standing, climbing stairs, or descending stairs. 
 
   
   
     17. The method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the user selected mode is a rehabilitation mode allowing the device to provide both the assistive force and the resistive force. 
   
   
     18. The method as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising:
 utilizing the assistive force and the resistive force in helping the user in building muscle strength. 
 
   
   
     19. The method as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the muscle stress is detected by a muscle stress sensor of the device in conjunction with a joint angle sensor of the device. 
   
   
     20. The method as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the device is powered by an electrostatic actuator. 
   
   
     21. The method as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the method is embodied in a machine-readable medium as a set of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the method. 
   
   
     22. A method, comprising:
 attaching an actuator-powered device to a user's leg to build muscle strength; 
 measuring, by the device, muscle stress endured by the user's leg; 
 comparing the measured muscle stress of the user with a maximum threshold value and a minimum threshold value, wherein the maximum threshold value and the minimum threshold value are configurable by the user; 
 upon a determination that the measured muscle stress exceeds the maximum threshold value, applying assistive force by the device to aid muscle movement in the user's leg to reduce the muscle stress; and 
 upon a determination that the measured muscle stress is below the minimum threshold value while the user's leg is in motion, applying resistive force by the device in opposition to the muscle movement in the user's leg to increase the muscle stress. 
 
   
   
     23. A method, comprising:
 attaching an active muscle assistance device to a joint of a user's body part; 
 measuring, by the active muscle assistance device, muscle stress on the joint of the user's body part and an angle of the joint; 
 upon determining the user moving from a first position to a second position, the motion from the first position to the second position tending to place stress on the joint of the user's body, assisting the user's mobility by applying assistive force to aid movement of the joint to reduce muscle stress; 
 upon determining the user being in the second position based on the joint angle or reduced muscle stress, terminating the assistive force; and 
 upon determining the user moving from the first position to the second position, the motion from the first position to the second position resulting in an absence of stress placed on the joint of the user's body, applying a resistive force in position to the movement of the joint to increase muscle stress. 
 
   
   
     24. A method as recited in  claim 23 , wherein the first position is a sitting position. 
   
   
     25. A method as recited in  claim 24 , wherein the second position is a standing position. 
   
   
     26. A method as recited in  claim 23 , further comprising allowing the user's leg to swing substantially freely during walking. 
   
   
     27. A method as recited in  claim 23  wherein the muscle stress determination is based on a measurement taken from a foot sensor. 
   
   
     28. A method as recited in  claim 23  wherein the muscle stress determination is based on a measurement taken from a myolectric sensor.